The University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts offers one of the oldest and most respected theatre programs in the country. For more than 90 years we have supported the development of new plays by students, faculty, and distinguished guests. We recognize that every play, whether new or old, is brought to life through the complex collaborative effort of a writer, director, dramaturg, designers, actors, stage managers, and technicians. In order to support this process, we seek to create an atmosphere of passion for the art and generosity of spirit. The theatre arts department has about 200 undergraduate majors. With about 25 productions each year, there are hundreds of acting opportunities and many options for students who want to work behind the scenes (as a designer, stage manager, board op, run crew, or in the shops).

Student Responsibilities

Review the responsibilities required to become and remain eligible for the 2 Plus 2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan.

Student Responsibilities

Eastern Iowa Community College District checkpoints
  • Complete the fourth level of a single world language as needed for Iowa's General Education Program.
  • Complete both of these courses:
    • DRA 130 Acting I
    • DRA 132 Acting II
  • Transferrable courses not required before transferring:
    • DRA 172 Technical Theatre - only 1sh will count toward major at Iowa.
    • DRA 928 Playwriting
  • Complete all requirements for the AA degree.
  • When transferring to Iowa, present a cumulative transfer grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 from all colleges attended.
University of Iowa Checkpoints
  • Complete the UI courses required for this major, as specified in the UI General Catalog.
  • Complete at least half of the remaining semester hours needed for your major and degree during each of your two years at Iowa. (A total of 36 semester hours is required for the theatre arts major and 120 semester hours for the BA degree.)

A current schedule of UI courses is available online via Iowa Student Information Services (ISIS).